PFIPC Probe: Pressure Mounts on House to Summon Gbajabiamila

• HEDA urges Chief of Staff to step aside pending probe
• Reps order IGP to produce alleged PFIPC promoter
• Police confirm forged documents, say criminal trial ongoing

Pressure is mounting on the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) to widen its probe by inviting the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, to testify over allegations surrounding the attempted establishment of the purported agency.

The calls intensified after the committee directed the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, through his representative, to produce the self-acclaimed promoter of the council, Adeniyi Adeyemi, before lawmakers by noon on Wednesday to answer questions arising from testimonies already received from senior government officials.

The committee’s investigation has so far featured appearances by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack; Director-General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu; Director of Banking Services at the Central Bank of Nigeria, Hamisu Abdullahi; Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi; and Assistant Commissioner of Police Bashir Abdullahi, who represented the IGP.

Adeyemi, who is in police custody and facing criminal charges before the Federal High Court, is expected to appear before the committee following Monday’s directive.

However, fresh questions have emerged over why Gbajabiamila has not been invited despite allegations that Adeyemi made statements linking him to the attempted establishment of the council.

A source familiar with the committee’s proceedings faulted lawmakers for failing to seek clarification from the police on several issues during Monday’s hearing.

“The IGP appeared through a representative. Why did the committee fail to ask relevant questions?” the source said.

The source also referred to allegations surrounding the death of Dolapo Tanimola, described as a middleman who allegedly received ₦400 million from Adeyemi for onward delivery to the Chief of Staff, and questioned why lawmakers did not ask the police about reports that the hotel where Tanimola reportedly died in a fire in October 2025 was subsequently demolished.

“Again, when will they bring in Gbajabiamila for questioning?” the source asked.

The allegations have not been independently established before the committee or by a court.

The renewed scrutiny follows revelations that forged government documents were allegedly used to obtain office accommodation, seek budgetary allocations and secure official recognition for an agency the Federal Government insists has no legal backing.

Political analyst Jackson Ojo criticised the committee for not inviting the Chief of Staff.

“The panel started on the wrong footing. Apart from Adeyemi, the most important person to have invited from day one is Gbajabiamila. Why not invite him, if only to clear his name? By failing to do so, they have created the impression that they are not interested in uncovering the full truth,” he said.

HEDA demands accountability

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) also called on the Chief of Staff to step aside pending the outcome of investigations.

HEDA Chairman, Suraju Olanrewaju, argued that the Office of the Chief of Staff had failed to adequately protect the Presidency from fraudulent activities and urged the committee to also invite the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, to explain the role played by his office.

“In the absence of concrete evidence establishing a direct relationship between Adeyemi and the Chief of Staff, it is difficult to hold him personally responsible at this stage. However, the apparent administrative failures within that office raise serious concerns and warrant accountability,” Olanrewaju said.

He further alleged that the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation should also explain whether adequate due diligence was carried out before the purported council gained official traction.

Committee summons Adeyemi

At Monday’s hearing, ACP Bashir Abdullahi informed lawmakers that criminal proceedings had already commenced against Adeyemi.

“The Nigerian Police Force investigated part of this case late last year and filed an eight-count charge before a Federal High Court. The case is ongoing,” he said.

He cautioned lawmakers against seeking disclosures that could prejudice the ongoing criminal proceedings.

Committee Chairman Yusuf Gagdi, however, insisted that Adeyemi’s appearance before lawmakers had become necessary.

“This committee clearly needs the suspected Director-General to appear before it. People’s names, institutional reputations and the integrity of government are involved. We need him here to confirm certain documents so our investigation can be concluded without compromising due process,” Gagdi said.

The committee subsequently directed the Inspector-General of Police to produce Adeyemi before noon on Wednesday.

Police confirm forged documents

During the hearing, police investigators told lawmakers that Adeyemi allegedly presented himself as Director-General of both the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and the PFIPC.

According to the police, he allegedly used the purported office to obtain accommodation at the Federal Secretariat, sought approval to recruit about 300 personnel, attempted to secure a ₦1.32 billion allocation in the 2026 Appropriation Act and planned to organise a World Investment Summit under the platform of the council.

A major highlight of the hearing came when lawmakers compared signatures on disputed State House documents with authenticated official correspondence obtained during police investigations.

When asked whether the signatures matched, ACP Abdullahi replied: “They are not the same.”

Gagdi disclosed that the committee had uncovered about 29 suspected forged documents, including purported presidential approvals, an alleged fake Act of the National Assembly and correspondence attributed to the State House, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Ministry of Finance and other government institutions.

“We are dealing with documents that include what is said to be a forged Act of the National Assembly in an attempt to establish a fake agency,” he said.

Accountant-General says no funds were released

Earlier, Accountant-General of the Federation Shamseldeen Ogunjimi told the committee that his office unknowingly processed requests from the purported council after receiving what appeared to be authentic correspondence from the State House requesting an administrative code for budgeting and financial reporting.

He said subsequent applications included requests for self-accounting status, personnel deployment, Treasury Single Account and domiciliary accounts, as well as funding approvals.

Ogunjimi, however, stressed that no public funds were released to the council.

“It is important to note that no funds were released under salaries, overhead, capital or any form of intervention or special allocation to the council,” he said.

He added that a request for a ₦27.4 billion establishment grant was rejected because no budgetary provision existed.

The Accountant-General further disclosed that investigations later established that the State House correspondence used to initiate the administrative process had been forged.

“That letter was never issued by the State House,” he told lawmakers.

The committee is expected to continue its investigation on Wednesday with Adeyemi’s appearance before deciding on recommendations, including possible administrative, legislative and criminal actions against individuals found culpable.